Kansas Revenue Secretary Joan Wagnon on Tuesday urged people who owe back state taxes to pay up under a tax amnesty program that will start Oct. 1.

The program allows individuals and businesses to pay delinquent taxes without penalty or interest. The amnesty period will end Nov. 30.

“Amnesty helps folks get out from under a growing tax burden that they can’t seem to resolve,” Wagnon said at a news conference at the Lawrence Public Library.

She said she expected to collect nearly $20 million in owed taxes.

State Sen. Mark Buhler, R-Lawrence, and state Rep. Paul Davis, D-Lawrence, were on hand to support the program, saying it will help individuals pay their taxes and provide the state needed revenue.

“The state needs every penny it can get its hands on to pay for schools, social services and transportation,” Davis said.

To be eligible for tax amnesty, taxpayers must obtain approval from the Kansas Department of Revenue, fill out a tax return and pay back all the taxes due.

More information on the program is on the department’s Web site www.ksrevenue.org/amnesty, or call 785-368-8200.

For more on this story, see Wednesday’s Journal-World.